Excavating machine



April 7, 1925. 1,532,243

w. HEBsAcKER EXCAVATING MACHINE F'ild June 17, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet l April 7, 1925. 1,532,243

l w. HEBsAcKER EXCAVATING MACHINE FiledJune 17. 1920 5 sheets-sheet a 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 7,l 1925.

w. Hr-:BsAcKER EXGAVATING MACHINE Filed June 17, r1920 April 7, i925. 1,532,243

W. HEBSACKER EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 7, 1925.

' J l 1 w. HEBSACVKR f EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1920 5 Sheets-$11691. 5

MOT/11014' e Patented Apr. 7, i925.

QFFICE.

WILHELM HEBSACKER, F HEILBRONN, GERMANY.

EXGAVATING MACHINE.

Application filed June 17, 1920. Serial No. 389,780.

To all whom 21' may concern:

Be it known that l, WILHELM l-ltnsnonnn, a citizen ot the Republic of Germany, and a resident of Heilbronn, a. n. l/Vurttemberg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Excavating Machines, ol which the following is a specitication.

This invention has its main object to provide an excavating machine adapted for digging tunnels, canals, ditches, etc., in any kind ot soil, the machine being selipropelled as the material is removed from its path.

Another object is to provide an encased driving mechanism by which the soil in the path et advance is disintegrated and moved to the rear in condition to be disposed oinA by ordinary means, the apparatus boring its passage either in a straight line or deflected as may be desired.

These and other important objects, which will become evident as the description progresses, are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement et parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming` a materia] part of this disclosure, and in which:

Figure 1 is a partial side elevational and sectional view o t' an excavator made in accordance with the invention, the casing walls being removed.

Figure 2 is a partial iront elevational and transverse sectional view, the sectien being taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view showing a modified form of construction oi the same, the casing being` omitted.

Figure a is a front diagrammatic view showing a modiiied form of cutter carrying head, looking on line 1 /1 of Fig. 9.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 ot Fig. 9.

Figure 6 is a similar sectional view taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 10.

Figure 7 is a rear elevational view oi" the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 8--8 ot Fig. 9.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional 'View taken approximately on the vertical center line ot Fig. 10.

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 9.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, showing a modification in conveyor structure.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 11.

Figure 13 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing a modified form of eX- cavator.

Figure 14C is a transverse sectional view taken on line let-14 of Fig. 13.

Figure 15 is a sectional view taken on line 15-15 oi' Fig. 13.

Figure 16 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing a further modification in construction of the excavator.

Figure 17 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 17-17 of Fig. 16.

Figure 18 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a modiiicaticn ci the advancing means.

Figure 19 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 19-19 of Fig. l8r.

Figure 2O is a similar sectional view taken on line 20-20 ont Fig. 18.

Figure 21 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a further modification of the advancing means.

The apparatus in general consists of a cylindrical non-rotatable body and revoluble cutter carrying head, the mechanism for propulsion and actuating the head being encased in the body.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 in detail, a pair of metal bands 25 and 26, respectively at the front and rear have secured between them a platform 27, the same being disposed horizontally at a point below the centers, while extending over the bands is a semicylindrical casing 28.

Secured to the platform 27 is an electric motor 30 arranged transversely within the casing and energized by current from any convenient source.

The motor shaft drives a speed reduction gear train terminating in the spur gear 31 the same driving a shaft having upon it one of a pair of bevel gears transmitting rotary motion to a short shaft 32 upon which is lined a pinion 33 meshing with a spur gear 34 having at its outer side a helical worm 35, both gear and worm being mounted on a sleeve 36 rotatable on a stub axle 37 fixed in the front end of the body, there being a casing 39 interposed between the gea` and Wo in so that the former is tightly enclosed.

Mounted on the outer end of the sleeve 86 is a head composed of a rigid ring 40 connected by bai's 4l obliquel i inclined from the periphery of the-ring lll to a sharply pointed center 42 forming the apex of the conical head, axially of the body and shaped to present a helical spiral 48 adapted to Worin itself into the soil When rotated under pressure.

Fixed on the outer sides of the bars 4l are a plurality of rigid abraders, 44, acting when the head is rotated to loosen the soil in the manner of picks, bars or chisels, the soil passing through the head as itl is advanced.

Brackets 46 are attached to and extend forwardly from the rear band 28 and carry rollers 47 extending partially through appropriate openings in the casing 28, the periplieries of these rollers being adapted to make contact with the surface of the bored passage in the coil, acting to guide the iinplenient as it moves forward.

ln a similar manner other brackets 48 are attached to and extend in advance of the front band 25 and carry Worin gears 50 actuated by the Worin 35 and are adapted to engage the bore made by the head and due to the teeth the gears impinging in the bore, serve to propel the apparatus forward.

'lhese rollers and gears are arranged radially in spaced relation throughoutJ the upper half of the apparatus, the lowerinost pair being nearly diainetrically opposite.

Extending below the platform 27 at each end are pairs of brackets 52 to which are secured the ends of the bands 25 and 26, and presenting clear openings 53 at the sides and a clear central space 54 directly below the apparatus.

A pair of opposed helical conveyors 56 are `i'oiirnalled in the ends of the body structure, their peripheral convolutions extending outwardly to the same distance from the axis of the machine as the peripheries of the rollers 47 and gears 50, a second pair of like conveyors 58 being journalled in the brackets 52.

Sect. fed to the front ends of all of the conveyor shafts are spur gears GO and meshing with those upon the left side of the apparatus 2) facing the front, are intermediate gears 6l, driven by direct engagement with the drive gear 34, While on the other side other intermediate gears 62 are driven in the same manner, their motion being conducted to the gears through reversing idle piiiions 63.

Thus the conveyors on one side of the apparatus are driven in one direction and those on the other side in a reverse direetiointhese conveyors serving the double purpose of carrying to the rear the soil loosened by the ro assauts between them a platform 72 and casing 73,

eXtei-iorly of Which are helical conveyors 7 4 arranged in uniformly spaced pairs, three on each side of the vertical center of the apparatus, these conveyors being journalled at their ends in the eads and 7l and provided with gears 75 those on one side meshdirect with drivers 76 while those on th e other side are rotated in an opposite direction by the interposition of idle pinions 77 meshing with the drivers 7G. Si'

All of the several drivers 7G are rotated by a large spur gear 7 8 rotatable on a quill 8O eirteiidiiig outward from the front hea .70 and rigid therewith, the gear 78 being driven by pinion 81 (Fig. l0) fixed on a shaft 82.

driven by bevel gears 88 and 84, the latter of which is secured on a short transvereey shaft driven in turn through a gear reduction train by an electric motor 8G all of these elements resting on the platform 7 2 enfi'i closed Within the casing 73.

Fixed on the shaft 82 is a sprocket wheel 9() driving a chain communicating rotaryv motion to another sprocket 91 fired on the inner end of an axial shaft 92 rotatable in the quill 8O and the latter carrying loosely a tread 95 in which are operatively mounted a plurality of revolvable cutters 95 arranged in a concentric row circumjaeent to an inner row of cutters 97, While an axial cutter 98 extends outwardly beyond their faces.

rllhe cutter 98 is directly mounted on the outer end of the center shaft Q2 and is driven directly thereby, antifriction elements beii :j interposed between the base of he cutter and end of the sleeve 8O to take the thrust and reduce friction, similar anti-friction elf:- ments being also employed at the ha se of the other cutters.

ylhe cutters 97 are revolubly mounted in an auxiliary or outer head 10G adjacent the main or rear head 95, said outer head being fast on the quill 80 and pro f'ided with ei:- tendiiig hubs in which are journalled the stems of the cutters.

The rear head 95 is spider shaped, as beN shown in Fig. 5 and has upon the exteri of its projections inclined, cani like teeth 102 arranged helically and adapted as the head is rotated, to advance the apparatus in addition to the effect of the helical conifeyors 74.

The head 95 is rotated on the quill 8O by the gear 78 keyed to the hub of the head 95 (Fig. l0) and is provided with a forwardly facing cup shaped recess 95a in which is lolili lilo

Maaate cated a gear 105 rotatable on the hub of the head and which is secured to rotate with a gear 104 keyed to the quill 80 to rotate therewith. The head 95 is further provided with a rearwardly facing annular recess 951 in which are located the gears 106, which mesh with the idler gears 106El journalled upon studs 106b and the peripheries of which extend through suitable openings in the flange 95c to mesh with the teeth of: the gear 105.

rl`he inner gear 105 drives the pinions 106 fixed on the stems of the cutters 96, by means of the idler gears 106a while the outer gear 104 meshes with pinions 107 on the stems 'of the inner cutters 97, the idlers 106a and pinions 107, rolling after the fashion of planetary gears on the stationary gears 105, 104, respectively as the gear 7 8 and head 25 are rotated relatively to the stationary head 100 and to the quill 60.

Thus, due to the fixed gears, the several pinicns 106 and 107 are rotated when the head 95 is rotated (the outer cutters 96, as they rotate about the individual axis in circular paths about the axis of the machine) and also the cutters 97, 93 boring their way into the material to be excavated.

Below the platform 72 extends a pair of brackets 110 in which are mounted a plurality of short transverse shafts 111 carrying rotary shovels or Scrapers 112 the same being located between pairs of rollers or discs 114, adjacent the brackets 110.

@ne of the shafts 111 carries rigidly a sprocket wheel 115, Fig. 7 driven by a chain trained over a sprocket 116 fixed on the transverse shaft 85 so as t-o transmit rotary motion to the scraper. @n all of the several shafts 111 are fixed other sprocket Wheels 113 engaging an endless chain so that all of the several rotary scrapers are simultaneously operated, carrying the loosened material rearward of the apparatus.

1n order to control the direction of advance of the apparatus, laterally and vertically, a pair of brackets 120 (Fig. 3) are pivotally secured to the front frame element 70 one on each side at its center, a third bracket 121 being at the top. Pivotally secured in these brackets are bars 122 of T section, the same extending longitudinally of the body past the rear frame 71, where they are engaged with bolts 123, passing through slots 124 formed in brackets 125 attached rigidly to the rear frame 71, said bolts being operated by hand wheel nuts 126, the arrangement being such that the side bars 122 may be set at a fixed definite inclination, together with the top bar, thereby guiding the excavator up or down, or to the right or left in an obvious manner, the exposed longitudinal elements of the bars making contact with the bore as it is moved forward.

rfhe modification shown in Figures 11 and 12 embodies the details of structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the additional feature of auxiliary conveyors 58 arranged axially in advance of the main conveyors by which they are driven.

Figures 13, 14 and 15 show devices of the same general type as Figs. 1 and 2 and have in addition minor conveying elements mounted to rotate and also reciprocate.

Secured below the platform 27 are a pair of bearing` brackets in which is a revoluble shaft 136, the bearings and shaft being housed in a casing 137 except the ends of the shaft which have secured to them a pair of helical conveyors 136.

Rotary motion is transmitted to the shaft 136 by a chain driven sprocket 140 slidable on a key 141 as the shaft is moved lengthwise, the chain being actuated by a sprocket 142 fixed on the axial shaft of the apparatus and driven by the motor as before described.

A collar 145 held to move lengthwise with the shaft 136 but mounted thereon loosely so that the shaft may rotate in the collar, carries pins 146 extending into slots of a fork 147 at the lower end of a lever 148 pivoted in a bracket 149 extending down from the platform 27, the upper end of the lever being slotted to receive a pin 150 set in the side of a gear 151 and driven by the motor 86, the arrangement being such that the shaft 136 and attached conveyors are constantly rotated and at the same time given a reciprocating movement, carrying the loosened soil to the rear of the excavator, in addition to the main conveyors 56 and 53.

fn Figs. 16 and 17 a modification is shown in which a novel form 'of propelling means is used.

Secured at suitable intervals around the interior of the upper half of the casing are front and rear brackets and 161 in which are pivotally mounted sector shaped plate levers 162 and 163 passing through slots in the casing.

The rear lever 163 has an arm 165 to which is connected a tension spring 166 secured at its outer end to a bracket 167 fixed on the rear frame element 27.

Pivotally engaged with the arm is a a rod 166, its front end engaging in a similar manner with an arm 170 formed with the front lever 162 thus coupling the front and rear levers.

Another arm 172 extends from the front edge of the lever 162, parallel to the arm 170 and mounted in these arms is a spindle 173 on which is freely mounted a concave faced roller 174.

These several rollers 174 are drawn by the springs 166 aga-inst the undulating profile of a cam 175 fixed upon the sleeve36 which carries the cutter carrying head.

lfn this modificati-on the auxiliary conveyors 38 are also used.

ions endless lateral groove 1531 suited 'cceive rollers 182 lined on slides 193 and connected by links 18st with levers 185 or the saine description as the levers 1(52, the lront and rear levers being couplet by the connecting' rod 186 and the slides 18A .4 l l in radiallslots 1S? itorined in a plate 188.

lobcd peripheral cani 190 is driven like the previously described cams and actuates rollers 131 pivoted in the inner forked ends ol slides 192 guided and supported by brachets all'l red to the :trout frame s 195 connect the outer ends or the slides 192 the sector shaped levers 1% which are coupled in front and rear pair o"l rods 197 and operate in the manner be'lore described.

From the 'foregoing it will be seen that an ei'i'icient and practical device 'for e5; -avating; purposes has been described capable ot coping with various kinds ot soil and operating` under circumstances and conditions such may arise.

lilaving thus described my invention ant set forth the manner ot its construction, ap plication and use, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An excavating machine comprisinga cylindrical body, a horizontal platform .l a substantially' conical head revoluat the trout end o1' said body, means on conveyors arranged at the periphery ot said body extending parallel to its axis, means lfor driving said conveyors, a pluralit;v el propellingl nxeans tor said body, and adjustable means tor guiding` said body.

2. jin excavating machine comprising hollow bony, a head revolubly engaged therewith, cutters arranged in co; centric rows in said head, means carried by sai-'l body for rotating said head and the cutters therein, and helical projections in the periphery ot said head adapted to exert a tractive effect on said body.

if'. An clicavatingg` n achine comprising a non-rotative cylindrical body, a rotatable head engager therewith, cutters mounted in `-`ifj head adapted to disintegrate soil, a inoin said body adauted to rotate said head elical conveyors at Lspaced intervals in said lv, means actuated bv said notor for lriving said conveyors, a plurality of rotary shovels arranged in alignment in the lower rirt ot said body, and means for driving` oi saio shovels simultaneously.

ating machine comprising a non-rotative cylindrical body, a rotatable head engaged therewith, cutters mounted in said head adapted to disintegrate soil, means `.tor rotating said head and tor ad- -ancing said body, bars pivoted at the lront c; aid body7 at the top and sides, said bars being adapted to engage the passage formed by said head, and means for individuallv adjusting said bars angular-ly with relation to the axis Qaid body.

Signed at TEranli'furt am Main, Germany7 this twelfth day of December, A. l). 1921. l HELM HEBSACKER.

l itnesses:

Anensr BUCHENAUER, lvAN LAVRETSKY. 

